PHELPS WINS FIRST OF THE SEASON AT FULTON SPEEDWAY
FULTON, NY…Former Fulton Speedway DIRT 358 Modified Track Champion Jimmy Phelps won his first feature of the 2001 season last Saturday night. Phelps took the lead away from J.J. Michaels on lap 20 and then held on for the popular win. The win for the driver of the Fleet Pride DIRT 358 Modified in the 35 lap event was worth $1,500.
John Barker jumped out to the early lead in the 27 car starting field at the start of the DIRT 358 Modified feature. After five laps Barker continued to lead with Ryan Baye, Michaels, Jim Crawn and Wayne Reutimann Jr. following in the top five. With 10 laps complete Barker continued to lead the way with Baye, Michaels, Crawn and Jeremy Smith following.
Right from the start Michaels battled Barker in looking for the top spot. Michaels finally took the lead away from Barker on lap 16. At the halfway point of the main event Michaels was followed in the top five by Phelps, Alan Johnson, Smith and Jim Mahaney. Racing in positions sixth through tenth at this stage of the race were Crawn, Reutimann, Roy Shields, Tim Murphy and Jeff Rudalavage.
Phelps took the lead away from Michaels on lap 20. A great three car battle for the win was being contested on the high banked track by Phelps, Michaels and Johnson. Johnson, the 2000 Fulton Speedway Track Champion, pulled out of the race on lap 26 with mechanical problems. In the late going the man on the move was clearly Mahaney. The past Fulton Track Champion started in the 20th position and was up to third with five laps to go.
Time would run out for Mahaney, however, as Phelps went on for the feature win. Mahaney did slip by Michaels on the final lap to finish second. Completing the top five feature finishers were Pennsylvania drivers Rudalavage and Crawn. It was the second straight top five finish for Rudalavage. Crawn had a very impressive outing in only his second Fulton Speedway DIRT 358 Modified start.
Tim Sears won his first DIRT Sportsman feature of the season last Saturday night. Sears was followed across the finish line by Tom Juhl, Jamie Christian, John Cunningham and Mike Button. Sears took the lead away from Button on lap nine and led the rest of the distance in the 20 lap affair.
John Pietrowicz won his first DIRT Pro Stock feature of 2001 last Saturday night. Jason Rood, Dave Moyer, Floyd Thomas and Joe Ladouceur completed the top five finishers behind Pietrowicz. Rood led the first three laps of the feature before Pietrowicz took over on the fourth circuit and he led the rest of the 20 lap contest.
Todd Storace won his second straight Pure Stock main event last Saturday night in the Hood Racing car. Storace was followed by Jeff Pastorella, Bruce Stanton, Darren Kelso and Joe Buske. Storace took the lead from Pastorella on lap 12 and went on for the 15 lap feature win.
FULTON NOTES---Michaels, Barker and Rudalavage were DIRT 358 Modified heat winners…Shawn Donath, Sears and Christian won the DIRT Sportsman heats, with Walt McArdell winning the consolation…Rood and Pietrowicz were the Pro Stock heat race winners…Kevin Raymond and Storace were the Pure Stock heat winners…Mike Smith was the winner of the hotly contested One on One Spectator Races…Entire four division show was completed at 10:05 p.m…Action continues at Fulton Speedway this Saturday with a weekly four division show of DIRT 358 Modifieds, Sportsman, Pro Stocks and Pure Stocks plus Ladies Races…Action starts at 7 p.m…For more information call (315) 593-6531 or on line at www.fultonspeedway.com.
RACE RESULTS
DIRT 358 MODIFIED FEATURE---Jimmy Phelps, Jim Mahaney, J.J. Michaels, Jeff Rudalavage, Jim Crawn, Roy Shields, Gus Schmidt, Bill Shantel Sr., Pete Taylor, Rick Miller, Tim Murphy, John Ramsey, Ty Hunt, Brent Wilcox, Wayne Reutimann Jr., Joel Thomas, Brian Palmantier, Mike Prentice, Alan Johnson, Jeremy Smith, Ron White, Ryan Baye, John Barker, Jim Burke, Jim Witko Jr., Gary Farnsworth and Matt Sheppard.
DIRT SPORTSMAN---Tim Sears, Tom Juhl, Jamie Christian, John Cunningham, Mike Button, Willy Decker, Bill Shantel Jr., Shane Donath, Dan Vail, Bill Trexler Jr., John Juhl, Dave Bargabos, Greg Doust, Chad Phelps, Jason Potter, Steve Way, Jim Kite, Terry Knoblock, Tim Johnson, Russ Hefti, Adam VanPatten, Shawn Donath, Paul Kinney and Jeremy Pitcher.
DIRT PRO STOCK FEATURE---John Pietrowicz, Jason Rood, Dave Moyer, Floyd Thomas, Joe Ladouceur, Jerry Holmes, Tom Barron, T.J. Fitzgibbons, Ricky Breed, Chad Ray, Joe Jackson, Mitch Jock, Dave Fox, Keith Butler, Mike Watkins, Eric Vanderhoof, Freddy Dennis, Ryan Buskey, Heath Carey and Tom Juno Jr.
PURE STOCK FEATURE---Todd Storace, Jeff Pastorella, Bruce Stanton, Darren Kelso, Joe Buske, Dennis Brown, Mark Davison, Phil Trim, Gary Barton, Bill All, Adam Morley, David Pope, Al Button, Ken Connor, Steve Woodworth, Rob Whipple, Dan Butterfield, Chris Smiedy and Todd Koegel.